PORT TOWNSEND — The discovery of a suspicious package led to the closure of Water Street on Monday until police determined that a garbage bag wrapped in red tape contained a bag of standard playground sand.

Police received the call at 9:21 a.m. reporting that the package was sitting at the curb in front of the Belmont Hotel, 9:25 Water St.

Police cordoned off the block between Tyler and Taylor streets, but did not evacuate the upper floors of the adjacent buildings.

Port Townsend Deputy Police Chief Mike Evans said a similar bag filled with sand was found a few blocks away that was used to anchor a sign and determined that the package in front of the Belmont was similar in nature.

Evans had called the Washington State Patrol's bomb squad in Bremerton, at which time he was told this was a “proper call” and that a squad would be dispatched.